1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cooperative identification system, and more particularly, to an interrogator or reader for inductively coupling to a transponder and thereby extract data from the transponder. The interrogator features a multidimensional electromagnetic field generation capability and an antenna impedance matching network.
2. Description of Related Art
In the automatic data identification industry, the use of cooperative identification systems, that include an interrogator (also known as a reader) and a transponder (also known as a tag), have grown in prominence as a way to track objects and/or data regarding an object to which the transponder is affixed. A transponder generally includes a semiconductor memory, in which digital information may be stored. Using a technique known as inductive coupling, a transponder provides the stored data to an interrogator in response to an electromagnetic field that is generated by the interrogator. This type of inductively coupled identification system is very versatile. The transponders may be passive, in which they extract their power from the electromagnetic field provided by the interrogator, or active, in which they include their own power source. The passive transponders can be either "half-duplex" or full-duplex" transponders, which can be manufactured in very small, lightweight, and inexpensive units. Passive transponders are particularly cost effective because they lack an internal power source. The interrogator-transponder systems can be made to operate in a wide range of frequencies, from kilohertz to gigahertz. The interrogator may be portable and powered by a small battery, or fixed and powered by a battery or AC power.
In view of these advantages, inductively coupled identification systems are used in many types of applications in which it is desirable to track information regarding a moving or inaccessible object. Various applications may include asset and inventory control, access control, security, and transportation applications such as vehicle toll collection, parking, and fleet management. Another application is to affix transponders to animals in order to provide information such as their health, behavior, or location. One method of attaching the transponder is to implant the transponder within the animal. For example, the transponder may be implanted beneath the skin of the animal or the transponder may be designed such that, when swallowed, it remains in the stomach or digestive tract of the animal. Passive transponders are uniquely suited for this type of application because they do not require an internal power source such as a battery that can wear out.
The inductively coupled identification system may utilize an interrogator that generates through a field coil an electromagnetic field for inductively coupling to a transponder. The transponder may be passive and have a memory device coupled to an inductive coil that serves both as the antenna and inductive power supply to draw power from a generated electromagnetic field to supply the transponder's electrical circuits. One method of providing data to the interrogator is for the transponder to retransmit the identification data to the interrogator. This approach requires the use of transmission and reception circuitry in both the interrogator and the transponder. Alternatively, because it is desirable to miniaturize the transponder, it is beneficial to eliminate as many parts in the transponder as possible. Thus, another method of providing the data to the interrogator is to provide a variable load within the transponder. To decode the data, the interrogator measures the power output of the interrogator and loading by the transponder. The modulated power signal is decoded to separate the data element for later digital interpretation.
A drawback of conventional inductively coupled identification systems is that the inductive coupling between the transponder's inductive coil and the electromagnetic field, generated by the interrogator's field coil, may depend on the relative angle between the interrogator's field coil and the transponder's inductive coil. If the interrogator's field coil and the transponder's inductive coil are aligned in parallel, then inductive coupling is maximized. However, if they are perpendicular, then inductive coupling is negligible and the inductive coupling is less effective. This means that conventional identification systems operate most effectively when the interrogator and transponder coils are aligned parallel to each other. As discussed above, inductively coupled identification systems are utilized in many types of applications, with the exact orientation of the transponder often being unknown. If the transponder's inductive coil is oriented nearly perpendicular to the magnetic field generated by the interrogator, there may be insufficient inductive coupling for correct operation. Thus, the interrogator may be unable to obtain the data within a transponder, even though it is within the interrogator's electromagnetic field range, because the interrogator's field coil and the transponder's inductive coil are not properly aligned.
Another drawback of inductively coupled identification systems is the antenna impedance matching network. An interrogator may utilize a capacitor in series with an inductor, a series resonant LC circuit, to generate the magnetic field. The magnitude of the magnetic field and, consequently, the effective range of the inductively coupled identification system, depends on the circulating energy between the inductor and the capacitor. The magnetic field alternates in amplitude because, as the magnetic field collapses, the energy stored in the magnetic field around the inductor coil is transformed and transitions into the capacitor as an electric field with the voltage increasing as the magnetic field collapses. When the voltage is at its maximum value, the capacitor discharges its energy in the form of a current through the inductor coil, regenerating the magnetic field in the opposite direction. This process repeats with losses generally due to the parasitic resistances of the components. The peak circulating power is determined by the product of the peak voltage and peak circulating current. The real power is determined by the circulating current squared times the effective resistance in the circuit. For a practical interrogator, the circulating power should be much larger than the real power, with the quality factor (Q) determined by the circulating power divided by the real power.
To interrogate (or "read") a transponder, the interrogator's magnetic field must be strong enough to activate the transponder. The maximum range is therefore effectively determined by the field amplitude, which is determined in turn by the circulating power in the field coil of the interrogator. For a given field coil area, the circulating power is determined by the number of ampere-turns. With a series resonant LC circuit, the switched current and the circulating current are identical. To minimize switching losses, the current may be kept low by increasing the number of turns and thus, also increasing the voltage. As an example, several thousand volts have been used in some applications. In general, there are many practical problems with operating above 500-1000 Volts: capacitors are expensive, corona and leakage currents consume power, and PC board traces must be widely spaced.
Interrogators may, alternatively, utilize a capacitor and inductor coil in parallel (a parallel resonant tank circuit) to avoid some of the problems, discussed above, for the series resonant LC circuit. The parallel resonant tank circuit would operate at a low voltage and a high current, but the voltage is then limited to that of the supply voltage. Additionally, the current may become large and difficult to effectively manage.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an impedance matching network and multidimensional electromagnetic field coil for a transponder interrogator. The multidimensional electromagnetic field coil would provide an electromagnetic field that is capable of inductively coupling with a transponder regardless of its orientation with respect to the transponder. The impedance matching network would provide an appropriate impedance, given the interrogator's desired requirements, without resorting to the unreasonably high voltages or currents of conventional identification systems.